Police investigating false 911 calls reporting meth-lab fires'

UPPER UWCHLAN — Investigators are hoping for a break in the search for a man who made has made three bad reports of “meth lab fires” in recent weeks.

According to the Upper Uwchlan Police Department, the first call came in around 4 p.m. on Sept. 15. Patrol officers and fire units were dispatched for reports of a house fire. A 911 caller reported his daughter saw a meth lab in their neighbor’s basement and that the house was on fire.

The caller also reported seeing green smoke pouring from the basement and an odor of ammonia. Police said the phone number provided by the caller did not match to the neighbor’s property, and it was determined to be a false call.

Early Sunday morning, around 12:30 a.m., the Upper Uwchlan Police Department received a call from a man who wished to report a meth lab fire. Police said the caller identified himself as “Johnny Code.” The officer who took the call recalled the prior incident and obtained details of the report and instructed the caller to dial 911 so the report could be recorded.

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About 8 minutes later, the West Vincent Police Department and fire units were dispatched to reports of a house fire. Police said the 911 caller told the operator his name was Johnny Code. The caller again said that his daughter had seen a meth lab in their neighbor’s basement and that it was on fire. The caller also reported green smoke pouring from the basement and an odor of ammonia.

Police said the caller also told the 911 operator that he was attacked by a pit bull when he confronted the neighbors and said “they are coming for me” before disconnecting the call. The caller again provided a phone number that did not trace back to the given address, police said.

Investigators traced the originating number at the 911 call center and identified it as a Skype number. Police said the caller called 911 back and told the operator he heard police officers making comments about the reports on a police scanner, then disconnected.

The Upper Uwchlan Police Department is urging anyone with knowledge of similar incidents or who may have information about the calls to contact the West Vincent Police Department at 610-458-3205 or the Upper Uwchlan Police Department at 610-458-5862.